Did they all have patchboxes?

[StarnesRowan]

 

[Vaino]

I install Pboxes made by me on all my LR builds....there's plenty of originals that have them and besides, a Pbox nicely fills a large, boring area of the butt.

On my Lancaster builds, none have a daisy Pbox.....even though they were popular. In lieu of a daisy Pbox, I found a different style made by a Lancaster original builder named John Brooks and have used it on my Lancasters. One is shown below....can't imagine this area w/o this Pbox......Fred

 

[excess650]

Fowlers were made without patchboxes, cheek pieces, and far less carving than rifles, so were less expensive. "Rifle" inferred trigger guard grip standing off the wrist, patchbox, cheekpiece, and rear sight. Rifling was optional. "Plain Lancaster" rifles still existing may not have carving, but have a 2 piece brass patchbox at minimum. Those with sliding covers are invariably carved as well.

 

[StarnesRowan]

Hi Ernie,
If those "fancy" guns were never used. why were most converted to percussion? Why convert a gun you never used. Also keep in mind, many of the now flint guns, had been converted to percussion, then reconverted to flint in the 20th century. A surviving long rifle with its original flintlock is a real prize. Heck, there are quite a few rifles made as percussion that now sport flintlocks! There are many surviving plain long rifles, mostly from the 19th century but very few 18th century guns. The majority of surviving 18th century long rifles have some decoration, not necessarily fancy or extensive, but decoration nonetheless. There are a few surviving rifles without patch boxes but the majority, even the simple ones, have them. I believe it was an expected feature on rifles at the time.

dave

As to why there are very little surviving plane rifles is that they are or were simply junk. look at the sears and roebuck shotgun made by Remington, stevans,fox and other manufacturers I don't know about were you live but here in rowan county everyone had one but they are virtually nonexistent today due to them being the guns that sat in a basement that flooded, being in barns that were tore down or rusting away beside the door. that is oly in the last 40-50 years. so what about the guns in the same situation 200-250 years ago

 

[54ball]

As to why there are very little surviving plane rifles is that they are or were simply junk. look at the sears and roebuck shotgun made by Remington, stevans,fox and other manufacturers I don't know about were you live but here in rowan county everyone had one but they are virtually nonexistent today due to them being the guns that sat in a basement that flooded, being in barns that were tore down or rusting away beside the door. that is oly in the last 40-50 years. so what about the guns in the same situation 200-250 years ago

Mr. Rowan,
With all due respect, this is a tired argument. If you do honest research I think you will come to the conclusion that survival rates correspond with production rates.
Plainer rifles (whatever they are) can be just as treasured as fancy rifles (whatever they are). Fancy rifles can be just as abused and discarded as the plainer, cheaper ones. In the end it all comes out even.

In other words the ratio of surviving plain guns match will pretty much match and reflect original production.

The examples given about more modern guns is apples and oranges. With that said, these "virtually nonexistent" guns are still in closets and gun safes all over the country by the 100s of thousands.
The main reason they are not seen....people are holding on to them.
Grandpa's old shotgun can be just as treasured whether it be a Stevens or a Parker. On the other hand some will take grandpa's shotgun to the pawnshop, flea market or dump whether it be a Parker or Stevens.

 

[Dustin100]

Ive got something i need help with which is an original patch box musket to percussion built in between 1726 and 1758 flintlock brass stock with patch box whats the value cuz i wanna sale it but dont really know what ive got